


a pearl's tear

by 1nterlaced



Category: Mermaid Melody Pichi Pichi Pitch
Genre: Multi, im excited!!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-08
Updated: 2018-07-21
Packaged: 2019-03-31 08:10:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 5,434
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13970925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1nterlaced/pseuds/1nterlaced
Summary: a short story for every episode of mermaid melody!





	1. a pearl's tear

     The pink mermaids, for as long as mermaid history can remember, have embodied the compassion and serenity of the seas.

Hippo thinks of the princesses in the Atlantic oceans, and how their kingdoms have fallen. The Panthelassa are inching closer to the pacific everyday he waits longer to take the princess to the surface- he looks around at the glittering pink of the walls, home to the princess and her people, and at the princess herself, laughing giddily with one of her advisors.

He glances at the necklace around her neck, empty of the heart that protects and unites the seven seas, and at her face, which seems capable of doing so without it.

"Hippo!" She half laughs, half yells. Her voice has been screech-y since she gave her pearl to that human boy, but it snaps him out of his train of thought quickly.

"Come listen to this story, it's so funny!"

He snaps out of his thoughts. "Coming, princess!"

 

 

They'll be going to the surface soon.


	2. feelings i can't say

 

They're not fools, either.

The seven advisors to the princesses coordinated some time ago, along with Hippocampus, on where to send them should something ever happened. The pre-existing plan was to send them to wherever the palace was still intact. Nikora brings up her grievances about it almost immediately- with Aqua Regina fading deeper and deeper into myth and obscurity, they can risk nothing.

" We should consider having a safe place for the princesses- on the surface, that is. "

The gasps that follow her statement are disbelieving. Miku, advisor for the Aqua Pearl, shakes her head in disapproval.

 

" Visits to the surface are only ever ceremonial, if even that. The princesses don't even speak human languages! "

 

Nikora sighs, and puts her hands in front of her in defense.

" I understand, but if the situation where to arise, we need a backup plan besides eachother. As for the languages, we can teach them the ones we know. "

Haruna, advisor to the Green Pearl, rises from her seat next to her.

" Nikora is right. Our princesses are our number one priority, and the very best thing we can do for the future of the seas and our kingdoms is give them the best protection we can. I can't imagine Rina being captured before she even has her coming of age ceremony. "

She sits once more, nodding for Nikora to continue. Nikora smiles, thankful for the famed maturity of the green mermaids.

 

" Thank you, Haruna. Now, as for where to send them. "

 

…

 

  
Sara is annoyed when they begin teaching her one of the human's languages alongside her studies. It doesn't roll off her tongue as easily as other languages, but it comes in handy later, she supposes.

"Tarou!"

   
…

 

Tarou hands over the fish to the blue-haired girl and smiles in apology. He almost hears Sara's accent in hers, not quite native and not quite foreign.  
He smiles at her, shaking his head at the thought; it's not a coincidence he's at the seaside festival, he knows, but he shouldn't get carried away so early in the evening.

" Be sure to get back before it gets too late. "

 

 


	3. swaying thoughts

Rina's first moments on the surface are memorable, but not entirely pleasant. She surfaces near a public beach, shaky and unaware of her surroundings. It's the middle of the night, and her heart is pounding. 

It's her luck that she has company.

" Miss? "

She yelps, undignified, and looks back at him. Young, blue hair and eyes, almost like a South Atlantic mermaid- but he's entirely _human_  and he's seen her tail. She scrambles to remember the language, rusty from disuse.

" I- I have to go. Bye, thank you. "

He moves to speak once again, but she's back in the water before he can say anything.

 

 ...

 

Later, she pulls herself up shakily onto a rock in an inlet, and her tail is heavier than she remembers. She almost laughs at herself for messing up so early, but she sobers up quickly when she realizes she has no one to laugh with. She frowns down at her tail, transforming quickly into her human form. She finds she's even more bothered by the heaviness of her hair and the frailty of her new legs, and folds them up on the rock where she's sitting. It feels wrong, but the sea world isn't safe.

Rina clutches her pearl, nervous.

Haruna made sure she knew exactly where to go and exactly what to do in case this very thing happened, but she still feels lost.


	4. the lonesome princess

 

  
Admittedly, Hanon didn't recognize her right away. At first glance, she doesn't seem very much like the mermaids of her own kingdom, bubbly and sweet, or what Lucia's told her of her people. But she remembers the Rina from her early childhood, introduced to her as her fellow Atlantic princess- caring and stubborn, and the first person to chastise her for going outside the palace with no one but Pura.  

The Aqua and Green mermaids from before this generation of princesses were close, and they were well on the way to continuing their friendship- but the misfortune of the rise of the Panthalassa has created a bit of distance between neighboring kingdoms. Hanon smiles at Rina, asking her respectfully her thoughts on the North Pacific princess.

" She's an interesting girl, isn't she? "

Hanon smiles at her tone, silently agreeing with her. It's been a while since she's been able to drop the human-girl front and talk to another mermaid sincerely.  Lucia's a bit more comfortable with human life than all of them- no surprise, seeing as Kaito is her first love. Being able to talk like this with Rina is relaxing.

" She's so simplistic, giving the Green Pearl princess a green ring. "

The aqua ring on her finger tells her it might ring true, but Lucia's kindness makes up for it. She laughs a bit at Lucia's antics and they both head into the school before the gates close.

The Atlantic kingdoms of the past would come together annually to celebrate their unity; she'd read traces of the festivities from time to time in the royal library. Once they head back home, maybe something could be arranged. 

 

 

" Rina? "

" Yes? "

" I have to ask you something after class. "


	5. an icy kiss

" You want us.. to hold an idol concert. "  Lucia laughs, rubbing at the back of her neck out of embarrassment. It's a little out there, but- how else are they supposed to distract the people?  

" Yeah- they'd be expecting this kind of stuff since it's Golden Week, and since it's an aquarium, it wouldn't be strange for us to appear as mermaids .. "

Rina blinks at her incredulously, but decides against fighting her on it. Momo's cries are blaring in her head, and Izuru isn't going to let up until they show themselves. Not to mention the humans. She sighs, rubbing at her forehead as Momo's cries grow louder. 

" Let's go. "  If she hears Hanon squeal behind her, she ignores it.

 

..

 

Hanon speaks up as they find the openings into the right pool. " There aren't any cameras here, right? "

Lucia chokes, stuttering as Rina turns to them. She hadn't considered that at all. The pensive frown on Rina's face is sending alarms through Hanon's mind, and she thinks they're about to get the lecture of a lifetime-

Rina mumbles it quietly, tilting her head at them.

" What's a .. camera? "

 


	6. light of love

 

She doesn't really know what to do. They're alone in a cabin on the beach, the rain keeping them locked in for who knows how long. She's freezing, and flustered, and he's unbearably quiet. The silence is driving her mad, but when Kaito breaks it, she finds she wishes he hadn't said anything.

The bit of hope that comes to life when he mentions her mermaid self is snuffed out not a moment later- and Lucia is nothing short of heartbroken. How long does she have to  _wait_ -?

" There's no way that you could be the same person. "

Her heart can only take so much. She clutches the pearl tear at her chest, her nails digging into it like it's the one breaking her heart. She wants him to stop talking, to look at her, to  _realize_ \- the fire in front of them wavers, and so does her hope. 

" No way, right? " 

 

Right. She's tired, tired of waiting around, tired of him idolizing her other self when she's right in front of him, tired of everything. Lucia snaps. 

" That's stupid! "

 


	7. a mermaid's jealousy

 

      Lucia is always singing. _Always_.  She sings doing chores, when they help clean the classrooms after school, and spontaneously when the three of them are just hanging out. Hanon is quick to join, but Rina stays silent most of the time. She enjoys it, of course, but she's never felt particularly inclined to sing along. Rina hasn't mentioned it, but she's not particularly used to singing with other people. The people of the North Atlantic's ceremonies often involved their princesses' singing, but they felt her voice sounded better without accompaniment.

Whenever they transform, she hears herself singing, and she hears them, but she always sings as if she's singing alone.  

...

 

She looks on along with the humans on the cruise ship, staring at one of her country's most precious belongings. Rina nearly laughs at the thought of the gem that's meant to protect them being found nearly exactly where they've been stationed on land.  The lights go out, and she hears a familiar laugh that grates against her nerves. Is nothing sacred to these people?

She runs out after the water demon with a vengeance. 

" Lucia, come on! "

 

...

 

For the second time, she's worried she'll be taken by Gaito. Lucia yells next to her, panicked at the seaweed wrapping itself around her legs. For a split second, Rina panics and she cries out her name in a futile attempt to do Aqua Regina knows what. She needs to get her out of here- this can't happen _again-_

" I'll take you to Gaito! "

In the back of her mind, she's glad the last time she sang wasn't alone. 

 

Hanon's voice slashes through her thoughts, a saving grace.  " I'm not letting that happen! " 

...

 

The mermaid's eye is said to hold the soul of an ancient Green Pearl princess, whose most ardent desire was to protect the people around her. It used to sit at the top of Rina's throne, watching over the North Atlantic Kingdom for generations. As it sinks into the depths, still glittering brightly, Rina prays that it will protect the three of them now, from the bottom of the sea.

 

 


	8. frozen feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> you know, we never see things from kaito's perspective tbh.

     He's felt off all day. The air has a strange chill to it, crueler than the typical sea breeze and the water that laps at his feet when he tests it is freezing. It doesn't bother him, luckily, but he still looks out at the sea apprehensively. 

Kaito doesn't want to admit it, but that Sakiya guy might just be getting on his nerves. And what's with Lucia meeting him in town, anyway-?

He sighs, walking around the beach in an attempt to cool off. He finds her in yet another compromising position, feeding the guy he's competing against. She does, at least, look a bit bothered. 

Sakiya, the West Japanese champion, tells him excitedly that Lucia made the bento for him with a pompous smile on his face, and Lucia tries to interrupt him, waving her hands in front of her. He almost shakes his head at them, but he has a competition to win. No use getting bothered by something like this. 

 

 ..

 

He winks back at her before he heads into the water. He'll win, and next time, no one's going to be able to doubt that Lucia's bentos are for him. 


	9. stolen melody

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Songs are as sad as the listener.”
> 
> — Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

     From the moment she was born, Yuri has dedicated her life to Gaito. He brought them up from the depths and told them of his message; his desire to recreate the world and its people. He gave them all life and purpose, and she'd give up her life for him in a second- but he can be a bit fickle. 

" I've had enough of your useless piano playing. "

 

She sets off immediately from his castle, shaking slightly. Tears are flying behind her as she swims, but she ignores them, determined to prove herself. 

 

 ..

The human she finds almost looks peaceful, losing himself in a weak imitation of good music. His only saving grace is that the result is as depressing as his face makes it seem. (Briefly, she wonders if he's thinking of love.) Stars, human have that same strange penchant for terrible music that mermaids do.

 She's gonna be sick. 


	10. images of the past

  Lucia's still over the moon about the whole Rina-getting-scouted thing even after Rina had already gone home.

" And even though she's younger than the both of us, she seems so mature! "

Hanon shrugs at Lucia, flipping a page in the fashion magazine she's reading. She hums thoughtfully at the dress on the model- it's simple, white with purple accents and fabric wrapped around the waist. The corner of her mouth turns up as she looks down- a mermaid skirt. Rina would appreciate the irony. 

" Well, you know what they say about Green mermaids. "

Lucia grows silent in that  _i-have-no-idea-what-you-mean-please-explain_  way that means she has to put down the magazine. 

 

Hanon looks over at her in surprise. " You know how each mermaid kingdom has like, a  _thing_? "

" A thing? "

" Yeah! They always used to always tell me about it- each kingdom represents an aspect of the sea. " She stands up, right hand on her chest as she recites the speech by rote. " The Arctic is stability, the Antarctic is transformation, and together they represent- er, balance! The Indian Ocean represents passion, and she alone is the freedom granted to us by Aqua Regina to make the sea our home- "

" Wait- what does this have to do with Rina? " She blinks up at Hanon owlishly. 

Hanon pouts at being interrupted, sitting back down. " Well, if you'd let me finish-! The Green mermaids are known for their maturity- maturity and growth. Didn't you learn this stuff at home? "

 

Lucia thinks back to her lessons back in the North Pacific, frowning when she can only recall herself sneaking out to play with the dolphins or hiding behind the columns in the halls. She lays her head on the pillow, pouting quietly. She'd had a good time, but at what cost? 

 

" I think so.. " 

 

" It's okay, Lucia- it's _only_ our history. " 

 

Lucia can feel her teasing from across the room. " Hanoon-! "


	11. the wishing ring

 

     Taki had gone searching for the treasure, too, when she was younger. She'd been naive, then- wishing for love with a prince that was far out of her reach and willing to find any way to be with him. She tells Lucia and Hanon about it with her typical mystery, hoping to entice them into distracting themselves for the trip. The water demons have been attacking more often than not lately, and though this is their job on land, she's worried they may be wearing themselves out. 

Lucia pipes up first, looking down at the map in wonder. " There's treasure, Hanon! "

 

Behind her crystal ball, Taki smiles. For now, they can enjoy themselves- before the Panthalassa attacks become more severe. 

 

 


	12. crossed hearts

 

" I heard that when the princess comes back this time, she's staying for good!"

 

" Really? Is that safe, nowadays? " Kaori blinks owlishly at her, glancing away from the carefully arranged closet- the seamstresses had spent weeks on the princesses outfit for her coming-of-age ceremony last year, but with the princess pearl-less, they'd hung here for the better part of the year. She pouts at the dress, carefully measured and tailored- hopefully, she hasn't grown much above surface. 

Aiko nods fiercely, taking care in wiping down the mirror of the princesses' preparation chambers. " Nikora reported back with Momo this afternoon, and they say the barrier to the kingdom's been fortified and everything- and get this- the princesses from the Atlantic are coming along with her! " 

Kaori's mouth forms a small 'o' at the exclamation. " Three princesses! We haven't had this many visitors in such a long time- " She turns back to the mirror, wiping it down with more ferocity than before. " We're going to make this the best coming of age ceremony this side of the seas! "

 

..

 

" Hey, Kaito? " 

" Hm? "

" If I don't come back, would you be sad? " 

 

 


	13. mermaid's ritual, part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this episode is really- packed with information and potential and it's going to have two parts, i think! maybe three. sgdsfd im excited here's the first part!

 

   Lucia loves the human world- its music, its people, the culture. She can list the most famous pop songs of the month, her favorite ice cream flavors and keeps up with the latest fashion through Hanon. She'd never really considered she might be forgetting about home- her real home- until one afternoon at Pearl Piari.

They're looking through magazines that had come in the mail, and Lucia gets her hand on a culinary one. Human food was good, of course, but she always drifts into the seafood section first. " Oh, this reminds me of the food we'd eat at home- oh, it was so good! " She melts against the comforter in her room, warm and lost in thought.

Hanon pipes up from her desk, looking over at her curiously. " What was it? You know, we eat a lot of bluefin tuna back home; the fish on the surface is good, but nothing beats the fish back home. "

Lucia freezes.  " It was- uhm... "

" You're so forgetful, Lucia! " 

She panics quietly. She's not, usually, not about this. 

" Jeez- am I really helping you unite the seas? "

…

 

  
Lucia buys a box- pink, with yellow accents and little fish on the outside. Inside, she finds things on the surface (she hasn't used that word in a long time. How long have they been on land?) that remind her of home.

First, she buys a journal. She fills it with the information she remembers from school- notes on sea life, on the history between certain features of the palace. 

Then, she starts collecting.

She finds a small book on the native sea life at the library. Some she's seen around the palace- others, she recognizes from her studies on other oceans- South Pacific fish, Antarctic penguins and Indian whales. She buys it quickly for fear of it being gone the next time she comes back, and tucks it in the corner of the box for safekeeping. ( She's delighted when she sees them- and places a small bookmark on each page, hopeful they'd all be together soon. )

She's looking around a more touristy area when she finds a picture of a human building that nearly overwhelms her with nostalgia in it's resemblance to the palace. She pokes and prods the man selling them for information- it's a grand building in India, built as a tribute for a great man's lover. Her journal is similar, in that sense. A tribute to her people, bits and pieces of their culture.

At a jewelry store near Pearl Piari, she finds a set of earrings with an ocean theme- clams, shells, pearls. She sets them on her counter, perched where she can always see them so that she doesn't forget.

  
…

 

" Lucia- where did you find this? " Rina looks shocked, and Lucia wonders why. 

" I was on my way back from doing groceries for Nikora and I saw it- why? " She hadn't really thought much of it- a cute shell that she'd seen in the window at a local surf shop. It was green, like the ring she gave her, and she'd thought Rina would like it, so she'd gotten it.

" This is-I've seen it back home. I used to have one in my room. " Her lips quirk into a smile, and she brings it close to her chest. " Home seems far away, these days. I wasn't able to bring anything with me. "

Lucia thinks back to the quiet advisory from Nikora and Taki to not ask the other girls how they came to the surface. It might not be a nice a story as yours, they said. 

Rina shakes her head, and puts a hand on Lucia's shoulder, a smile plastered on her face and the shell in her hand. " Thank you, Lucia. "

  
Lucia nods dumbly, happy to have put that smile on her face. Watching as Rina walks away, she thinks back to the day she'd come on land- quiet aside from the storms, with Hippo at her side and - most importantly - entirely voluntary. She thinks of Hanon- Lucia had asked early on how she'd come to the surface, before they could warn her. Hanon had been shaky, even if she tried to play it off by not looking her in the eye- she'd given Lucia her back, and quietly described her escape from the castle. It had been a quiet day.

Her mind drifts back to the small box next to her desk and her throat catches- she'd been in such a hurry, she hadn't thought to bring anything, did she?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i think the fish is - coho salmon or sockeye salmon.


	14. mermaid's ritual, part 2!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> waaa part 2! i'm gonna do one more and then i'm moving on to the next episode i swear. i'll try to update the next chapter faster so we can move on- i just love this show so much and i have a lot of ideas. sgdsfs
> 
> next part should be up by sunday!

     When Lucia hears they'll be returning to the North Pacific, she's ecstatic. She's going to bring back all types of things for her journal, to keep in her room- the little mirror she has in her chambers, the little clam earrings they put on her for ceremonies- after her birthday party with Kaito, she's even going to be able to bring him something back!

 " When is it? " 

" What do you mean when? On your birthday, of course! " 

...

 

     They come in through the back gardens, seagrass and coral lining the entrance to the courtyard. Nikora watches with a smile as Hanon points and gushes over the details in the palace, while Lucia demurely explains them to her. She'd taken extra care alongside the security to make sure the palace would be especially well-hidden for the ceremony- with the princess possibly being relocated to the sea, they couldn't take any chances. 

"Oh, wait- this coral is so pretty! " Hanon brushes her fingers against it gently, not wanting to disturb it. " It looks like the picture you have in your room, Lucia!"

" The coral is supposed to represent the coral in the South- they say that pink mermaids were made in their image. " Lucia mentions quietly as they enter. Hanon nods, taking in every possible detail while she can- it seems she remembered how long her ceremony had taken and was trying to take advantage of the princess being free for the time being.  Rina swims alongside them, quietly admiring scenery, but not making any comments. She'd already known, Nikora was sure- Rina seemed to have trouble adjusting to the surface as quickly as they did, but she was a dedicated princess. 

 The hallways come into view, lined meticulously with large ionic columns, golden spirals lining them all the way to the ceiling. On the other side of the hall, she hears the familiar clicks of dolphins and the tell-tale sign of Kaori and Aiko bickering.

 Nikora breathes a sigh of relief, the pressures of surface life being swept away by the current. At the end of the day, the palace was still home. 


	15. mermaid's ritual; pt 3!

Sara remembers her coming-of-age ceremony.

The halls had been splendidly decorated, the fountain of promise illuminated by her pearl's hope and Aqua Regina's power; her false promises and sweet words about "freedom and love above all" - the Indian Ocean's motto- and her _own_ promise to protect her people and the seas with everything she had. Baaya, her advisor, had showered her with praise, and the people of the Indian Ocean had celebrated over a feast in the Grand Hall.  

She'd been naive, back then- like the princesses nowadays, always talking about love and hope. She would sneak away to the surface with Coco, and they'd point and giggle and laugh at the human's antics and when only a few people were looking, they would sing songs on the rocks where they could be heard, but not seen. The confused looks on the surface people's faces, searching for the source of the songs would bring smiles to their faces, and they would dive back into the safety of the ocean before they were ever found.

They were best friends, back then. ( For a brief moment, she's tempted to stop the Dark Lovers. Give them a fake tip on the princesses and let Lucia enjoy herself. )

The thought of it brings a small smile to her face even now, but she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror that brings her back to reality. Pitch black, like the seas she dwelt in these days. Her hair served as a reminder of where she was now- _who_ she was now.  That was all before Mitsuki. Before she- _he_ made her destroy everything.

 

No. She'd made a promise to Gaito, and unlike Mitsuki, she intended to keep it. 

She sends him off to the North Pacific palace with a smile. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> done!! this is so much fun i love writing for this show. sdgsd okay next is episode 14: memories of a starry sky!


	16. memories of the starry sky

Kaito looks down at the necklace- the same shade of pink that reminds him of the girl, and somehow it's found its way into his hands. He's usually the type of guy that likes to make his own fate happen for him, but their meetings are getting a bit too coincidental. He wonders how it ended up so far inland, since they've rarely ever met in a place that wasn't by the sea- or under it. (That time in the underwater castle had left his head reeling for days.)

" This pendant ... " 

His head snaps up when he recognizes the cold tones of the music- a familiar song that sends chills down his back, and makes him uneasy. It had been the same music hurting her back at the castle, hadn't it? Mentally, he resolves to find out why they keep going after her, and to return it to her once they meet again.  

He leaves the pendant on his parents' graves, for safe keeping. 

 

..

 

" Now, give me the Mermaid Princess' pearl. " 

" I'd never give it to you! "

His mind is racing- if Lucia is the mermaid, his mermaid, then- that time when she had tried to sing the mermaid's song by the inlet, and ran home afterwards was her trying to tell him? And that time when she'd yelled at him after he said she couldn't be the mermaid- 

 

She'd held on to hope all this time. 

...

 

One moment, they're laying on the floor, paralyzed and mic frozen to their hands, and the next, a light engulfs the room as the ice starts to clear. Hanon wonders about it for a second before her instincts kick in. They're still in their first forms, and Maria is still a danger to them- she doesn't have time to wonder. The live start has to start before the light recedes, and she regains her strength- luckily, Lucia beats her to the punch. 

 

" How dare you do that!? "


	17. a promise at the water's edge

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for not updating in so long! i'm working on a hanon/rina fic and it's really long, so i wanted to focus on that for a bit! enjoy this chapter, and please look forward to the next one! <3

 

     Hanon watches as Lucia pouts at her textbook. Sure, the human's learning system was strange, but it's the same material at the end of the day, isn't it?

 

Lucia leans back in her chair, sighing loudly as she looks over at her and Rina.  " At this rate, the only class I won't have to worry about is economics, and that's only one exam! " She turns to them, head hung and that whiny tone taking over her voice. "  _Hanooon_ , what do I do?"

" _Luciaa-!_ You have to study; we used to study a lot more back home, even! " Hanon whines right back at her. Lucia's suddenly interested in the way her fingers look when she pushes them together, and if Hanon weren't a princess, she'd say she was getting exasperated with her. " You're not going to be able to hang out with us all summer if you don't pass your math exams, y'know? "

Lucia sighs, deflated at having to hear it. " It's just that, at the palace it was just me and my tutor, and it was part of my duties, and there was nothing else to do, and-"

Rina pipes up from the bed. " Why don't you think of it as a duty, then? "

 

Lucia nods, a determined look coming over her as she turns back to the textbook. " Y equals m times x .. plus b. A squared plus b squared equals ... c squared. Then, uh.. " She places a bookmark on the page, and turns to Rina. " Okay, test me on the first two formulas! "

Rina nods, a half smile on her face. " What does Y equal? " 

" Uhm ... it equals- don't tell me! " She mumbles to herself for a minute, and stands up dramatically, her hands on her hips. " Y equals slope! "

 

Hanon knows that Rina's been getting into comedy lately, but she's never seen her laugh that hard. 

 

.. 

 

They leave Lucia to study on her own, away from any distractions. At Hanon's suggestion, they get ice cream- to "prepare for summer." 

 

" You don't have to study, do you? " Hanon watches as the mint chocolate chip Rina got starts to melt- she's not a fan of sweet stuff, she knows, but she's glad she came anyway. 

Rina shakes her head, and takes a tentative bite of her ice-cream before shivering. Human food was strange. " Not really. I might review the day of on my own time, but I was ahead in my studies at the palace, so I already knew the material we were covering. Plus, I like math. " 

Hanon nods at her, taking a thoughtful lick of her vanilla cone. " So that's why you always know the answers to the teachers questions! Rina, you're so sly!"

Rina smiles from behind her ice cream. " I am no such thing. More importantly, do you think Lucia's gonna be okay? Nikora's going to have her head if she gets summer school. "

Hanon shrugs. " Knowing her, she's probably gonna buy a bunch of books at the library and stay up all night cramming. " 

 

 

 

 


	18. hidden feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> i love rina touin!!!!

    As a princess, Rina has known from the beginning that she's meant to be a symbol for her people. A guiding light, burning bright even in the darkest of times. Her responsibilities as would-be queen are nothing to scoff at, and with the seas in turmoil, they've only grown. (She can hear Lucia now- if we're together, we can get through anything!)

They fight off enemies more often than ever, and their appearances are only growing in number. The pearls are strong, and as Green Pearl Voice, the potential is endless- it's the transformation back that gets her. Her pearl helps where it can, soothing aches and providing a warm glow that smooth over her headaches with ease, but it's unnatural for such a young princess to use her pearl so often.

The Panthalassa don't wait for headaches, though.

So she endures, and endures; she sings until her throat hurts and jokingly asks for encores alongside Hanon and Lucia when she knows another one would make the pain worse.

  
..

 

She has the slightest knowledge of human sicknesses. Not enough to heal herself, but enough to identify them. (The Panthalassa have thrown everything off the rails, and it's up to them to put it all back. )

Rina steels herself- keeps skating at this little job that Lucia set them up at, even though she might be the slightest bit dizzy, and takes orders like nothing's wrong. She builds up the walls around herself taller and sturdier, determined. She watches Lucia skate up to Kaito and frowns slightly- her suspicions of him have subsided, for now, but that doesn't mean that she trusts him with Lucia.

Those two are infatuated with the human world, but she won't let herself get distracted from their real purpose here. She'll keep her guard up for the three of them.

 

..

 

Kaito defends her like it's natural- like she wasn't accusing him of hurting her people a few months ago. He defends her like she needs it and it's strange to watch someone she hated not too long ago do that like he's been doing it his whole life. Her body is burning up and she runs, because that's what she always does, and hides in the back room.

By the goddess, she needs a break.

  
..

 

She's running a fever, and he shows up at her house like he's been doing it forever. Checking up on her, he says- as if she's ever needed anyone's help. As if she's weak. She's freezing, but the hand Kaito sets against her forehead burns.

" Just leave me alone! " The ring on her finger is a glaring reminder of the friendship between them. If he tells them anything, they'll run over here with no hesitation-

( They're always worried for her, never themselves. The walls she's built grow higher- she can't see past them.

Aren't you lonely?  
No, no- )

"I'm fine all by myself! "

 


End file.
